Breech loading bar stock mechanism for automatic metalworking machines



g- 1943. E. s. MARIOTTE BREECH LOADING BAR STOCK MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC METALWORKING MACHINES 4 Filed June 25, 1941 INVENTOR.

fi M/ Patented Aug. 24, 1943 BREECH IoOADING BAR STOCK MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC METALWORKING MA- CHINES Eugene S. Mariotte, North Syracuse, N. Y., as-

slgnor to W. C. Lipe, Inc., Syracuse, N. Y.', a corporation of New York Application June 25, 1941, Serial No. 399,642

6 Claims.

- stock bar into the feed tube through the breech end.

It further has for its object pneumatic means and control therefor for feeding the plunger, and

hence the bar stock, and vacuum means and control therefor for withdrawing the plunger back into the breech member.

The invention consists in the novel features and l in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a longitudinal view, partly in section and partly broken away, of this breech loading bar stock feed, the contiguous portions of the metal working machine, as the head of a lathe, being also shown.

Figures 2. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic sectional views of the control valves for the air and the vacuum in the various positions assumed thereby.

I designates the head of the automatic metal working machine or lathe and 2 the rotatable hollow spindle through which the bar stock is led to the metal working tools, not shown, of the machine, the spindle having the usual collet or chuck 3 for gripping the bar B. 4 designates the feed tube suitably supported, it being shown as supported at two points by a collar I mounted on a casing or housing 6, and a collar 1 mounted on the pedestal 8.

9 designates a breech member or block movably mounted at the outer end of the tube 4 to open and close the breech end of the tube, that is. the end remote from the spindle 2 in which the delivery end of the tube 4 extends.

ill designates a feed plunger 01 any suitable construction, it being provided with suitable packings. so that it forms a piston, as the plunger is preferably led by air pressure behind it. As here shown, the breech member or block 9 forms an extension of the tube 4 and is long enough to receive and hold the plunger l when the breech is open. The breech member is here shown as hinged at i I to a lug I! on the tube. and as held in closed position. as by a pivot bolt I3.

I4 designates a flexible air conduit connected iii to the interior of the breech member 9 in the rear of the plunger l9 and to a suitable source of compressed air through a conduit l5 and a suitable pressure regulator IS in said conduit. The flow 01 air is controlled by a valve l1, this being a three-way valve, and when in one position, the flow through the pipe I5 is cut off, and an exhaust port opened, and when in another position, the exhaust port is closed and communication established between the conduits i6 and I4.

Preferably, the plunger is drawn back from the delivery end of the tube, as shown in dotted lines, by vacuum means, the pipe l4 serving as a suction conduit when the vacuum means is operated. The vacuum means consists of a conduit It connected to a suitable source of vacuum. as a vacuum pump 19, the pipe 18 being controlled by a two-way valve 20 which when in normal position communicates with the exhaust port of the valve I1 and with the outer air, and when the valve i1 is turned to open the pipe M to the exhaust or air and the valve 20 operated to open the pipe I8 and close the exhaust port of the valve 29, suction is produced in the tube 4 behind' the piston Ill and the piston pulled "back into the breech member 8 preliminarily to opening the breech member for inserting a new stock bar. ing movement of the plunger I0 is limited by a stop at 2| at the delivery end of the tube, this stop being provided on the collet 3 at the delivery end of the tube 4. The stop is so located that there is always enough of the remnant of the bar for the collet to hold the remnant tightly and not loosely to avoid injury to the metal working tools.

Normally when the machine is idle, the valves i1 and 20 are in the position shown in Figure 2. In this position, the diametrical passage 22 of the valve I1 is closed to the passage of air from the pipe l5 and the passage 28 of the two-way valve 20 communicates with the passage 22 of the valve IT and with the exhaust port 24 through the passage 25. When the valve I1 is turned to the position shown in Figure'3, the diametrical passage 22 of the valve ll alines with the pipes l4 and I5 and the valve I1 is out of communication with'the vacuum valve 20 and the exhaust port 24,- so that air pressure passes to the tube 4 to feed the plunger. when the valve I1 is turned to the position shown in Figure 4, which is the same position as in Figure 2, and the vacuum valve 20 turned to the position shown in Figure 4. the passage 22 of the valve- I1 is in communication with the passage 23 of the vacuum valve 20 and the passage 28 or the valve I1. is in communication with the pipe H, but the passage 25 The feedof the valve 20 is now alined with the suction conduit i8. while the passage 23 is in communication with the passage 22 of valve I], so, that suction is created in the feed tube 4 to withdraw the plunger 10 back into the breech member 8.

In the general operation, when a new bar is to beinserted, the valve I1 is operated t the position shown in Figure 2, from that shown in Figure 3, and when both valves I1, 20 are in the position shown in Figure 4, so that the piston in is drawn back by suction into the breech 'member 9. The breech member 9 is then opened, and a new stock bar inserted. The plunger or piston II), when in the breech member 9, closes the pipe H or the port where it opens into the breech member'S. The breech is then closed and the valve I i operated into theposition shown in Figure 3 with the valve 20 in the position shown in Figure 3. Thus the plunger i is fed by air pressure, pushing the bar B through the spindle 2 up against a stop. The machine tool then automatically performs machining operations on the bar and finally cuts off the finished piece. The stop, not shown, may be the tail stock, turret or cross slide stop. The feeding operation repeats until the plunger ili'comes up against the stop 2|. The valve i1 and 20 are then moved into the positions shown in Figure 2 from the positions shown in Figure 3, permitting the air to first exhaust from behind the piston or plunger i0, and the valves I1, 20 shifted into the position shown in Figure 4, so that the vacuum now operates to pull the plunger l0 back into the breech member 9. The remnant of the bar is removed from the collet. A new bar is now inserted and the valves returned to their positions shown in Figure 3.

Although this breech loading feed mechanism is applicable to a single spindle machine, it is also applicable particularly to a multiple spindle machine where the feed. tube can not be swung laterally for loading from the muzzle end thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a bar stock feed for automatic metal working machines, a feed tube having an openable breech member at one end, a push plunger movable in the tube, means for actuating the plunger in the tube from the breech end toward the delivery end ofthe tube to feed the bar stock, the breech member beingmovable for removing the plunger from the tube and permitting insertion of a new stock bar in the tube in front of the plunger, and means for withdrawing the plunger back into the movable breech member of the tube preliminarily to opening the breech member.

2. In a bar stock feed for automatic metal working machines, a feed tube having an openable breech member at one end, a push plunger movable'in the tube. a compressed air system and 4 control'therefor for actuating the plunger 'in the tube from the breech end toward the delivery endof the tube, to feed the bar stock, the breech member being movable for removing the plunger from the tube and permitting insertion of a new stock bar in'the tube in front oi'the plunger, and means for withdrawing the plunger back into the movable breech member of the tube preliminarily to opening the breech member.

3. In a bar stock feed for automatic metal working machines, a feed tube-having an openable breech member at one end, a push plunger movable in the tube, means for actuating the plunger in the tube from the breech end toward the delivery end of the tube to feed the bar stock, the breech member being movable for removing the plunger from the tube and permitting insertion of a new stock bar in the tube in front of the plunger, and means for withdrawing the plunger back into the breech end of thetube preliminarily to opening the breech member, the last means being a suction conduit sys-'- tem having a control valve therein.

4. In a bar stock feed for automatic metal working machines, a feed tube having an openable breech member at one end, a push plunger movable in the tube and initially located in the breech member, means for actuating a plunger in the tube from the breech end toward the delivery end of the tube to feed the bar stock, and means for drawing the plunger back into the breech member preliminarily to opening the breech member to insert a new bar in front of the breech member.

5. In a bar stock feed for automatic metal working machines, a feed tube having an openable breech member at one end, a push plunger movable in the tube and initially located in the breech member, means for actuating the plunger in the tube from the breech end toward the delivery end of the tube to feed the bar stock, and suction means for withdrawing the plunger back into the breech member preliminarily to opening the breech member to insert a new bar in front of the plunger.

6. In a bar stock feed for automatic metal working machines, a feed tube forming a cylinder and having an openable breech member at the end remote from the machine, a push plunger movable in the tube and initially located in the breech member, means for supplying pressure fluid to the breech member and the tube behind the plunger to actuate the plunger to feed the bar stock, and means for withdrawing the plu-nger back into the breech member by vacuum preliminarily to opening the breech member to insert a new bar in front of the plunger.

EUGENE S. MARIO'I'IE. 

